Miner&#39;s blast-charger.



' PATENTED MAY '7, 1907' W. G. PEAY & G. W. HAM.

MINERS BLAST CHARGER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13,1906.

lurrn era ES PATENT rrrcE.

WILLIAM GEORGE PEAY AND GEORGE W. HAM, OF WILLARD, KENTUCKY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 7, 1907.

Application filed June 13,1906. Serial No. 321,568.

To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that we, VVILLIAiu GEORGE PEAY and GEORGE W. HAM, citizens of the United States, residing at Willard, in the county of Carter and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Miners Blast-Charger, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to blast charging devices for use by miners, and is designed to take the place of the paper cartridges now commonly employed.

Paper cartridges are objectionable for the reason that they require considerable skill and care in their making, and, even with the utmost care, it sometimes happens that dur ing the charging of a paper cartridge, the same becomes jammed before it is driven home, so that the power or charge is useless and lost. Again, in the case of deep charg ing, the cartridge has to be made of considerable length, which is difficult, or, if made in two or more lengths or charges, the paper or some other obstructing material may become entrapped between the charges so that double or successive explosions take place, thereby reducing considerably the explosive effect.

The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulties above enumerated, by providing a simple, inexpensive and readily operated blast charging device, the same comprising the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates certain of the embodiments of which the invention is capable, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the charging device in operation. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modified construction. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the device. Fig. 5 is an end view. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the sections of the device shown in Fig. 4, illustrating the same in an inverted position.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a certain object to be blasted, such as rock, having a blast hole 2 bored therein. In Fig. 1, the charging device is shown inserted in the blast hole and in the act of depositing a charge of powder, indicated at 3. The

charging device comprises a tubular body or holder entirely open at the end into and from which the blasting powder is passed during the filling and depositing operations. The opposite end as shown in Fi 2 is provided with a central opening 4 into which the needle or rammer 5 is adapted to be inserted to engage the follower or piston 6 when the charge is to be deposited, as shown in Fig. 1. The rammer is preferably a straight rod of metal having a suitable hand-hold 7. In the head 8 having the opening 4 is a depression 9 for receiving the tip of the rammer when the body A is to be inserted or shoved home in the blast hole. At the discharge end of the holder A are stops 10 for preventing the follower from being thrust out of the holder during the depositing of the charge. The piston 6 and also the holder are provided with eyes 11 and 12, or other suitable fastening means, for connection with a rope, chain, or other flexible member 13, the rope of the holder serving to withdraw the same during the depositing of the charge. These ropes are preferably of such a length as to extend outside of the blasting hole, and may be provided with suitable hand-holds.

In practice, the holder is filled with blasting powder while held in a vertical position with the piston drawn all the way in. After the holder is filled, it is applied to the blasting hole with the open end inserted first. \Vhen the blasting hole is horizontal, or approximately so, the loaded device can be illserted without the powder falling out, but, in case the blasting hole is vertical or inclined downwardly from the horizontal, the open end of the device is closed by a wad of paper so as to retain the powder in the holder while the device is pushed into the blasting hole.

The ropes 13 are permitted to. hang loose,.

and, by means of the rammer engaging the de ression in the head of the holder, the ho der is rammed to the inner end or bottom of the blast hole. When this point is reached, the rammer is disengaged from the depression and inserted in the opening of the head,

so as to engage the piston. The rammer is now held firmly against the piston with one hand, while, with the other, the cord attached to the holder is forcibly withdrawn until the stops 1O abut the end of the piston. This indicates that the charge is completely deposited into the blast hole, filling the same as a compact mass. The rammer is now removed, as is also the holder. If desired, a

second charge may be deposited in the same manner.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the head end of the holder takes the form of a cap removably held in place by means of thread, or any other suitable means. The cap is indicated at 14 and is provided with an opening 15 for receiving the rammer and cord attached to the piston, and with the rammer engaging depression 16 and eye 17 for the withdrawing cord. A cap construction is employed so as to permit the piston to be readily removed for inspection repair or renewal.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 6, the solid piston in the construction already described is substituted by a hollow follower comprising a tube 18 arranged to telescope in the tubular holder 19. The holder is substantially similar in construction to that already described, except that it is provided with a longitudinal slot 21 in which engages a projection 22 on the hollow follower for preventing the latter from being withdrawn from the holder during the depositing of the charge. The member 18 is cut away longitudinally along its bottom, so as to form a discharge mouth, the discharge of the powder taking place from the bottom, rather than from the end, as in the first construction. The outer end of the hollow follower, however, is open, so as to permit the device to be filled with powder, and on the head is an eye 23 for attachment with a cord for drawing the follower into the holder 19.

To use the modified form, the hollow piston is moved into the holder to its limit, thereby causing the cylindrical wall of the holder to close the discharge mouth of the follower. While being held in a vertical position, the holder is filled with owder and then inserted into the blast ho e with the open end presented first. The device is then rammed to the inner end of the blast hole in the same manner as in the first construction. The rammer is then disengaged from the holder and adjusted into engagement with the closed end of the hollow follower through the opening in the head of the holder. While thus engaged, the holder is withdrawn, thereby gradually uncovering. the mouth of the follower and permitting the powder to be deposited into the blast hole, following which the device is, of course, removed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that various changes may be made, when desired, as are within the scope of the invention, and the device may be made of metal, cardboard, or any other suitable material.

What is claimed is 1. A blast charging device comprising a tubular holder, a piston therein, a flexible member connected with the holder for withdrawing the same during the depositing of a charge, in combination with a device independent of the piston which is adapted to engage the latter during the depositing of the charge.

2. A blast charging device comprising a tubular holder having an opening in one end, a follower movably mounted in the holder, and a flexible member attached to the holder for withdrawing the same from a blast hole to deposit a charge, in combination with a device separate from the holder and follower which is adapted to engage the latter-through the opening in the holder during the depositing of the charge.

3. A blast charging device comprising a tubular holder which is open at one end, a head at the opposite end having a depression and an opening, a movable element in the holder for depositing the charge in the blasting hole, a fastening on the head, and a flexible member connected with the fastening and capable of moving the device in only one direction, in combination with a rammer adapted to be engaged in the depression of the head to force the loaded device into the blasting hole and then to be inserted into the opening of the head to engage the said element for holding it stationary while the holder is withdrawn by the said flexible member.

1. A blast charging device comprising a tubular holder, a removable head, means for securing the head to the holder, said head having an opening and a depression adapted to receive a ramming device, and means on the head for attaching a withdrawing member.

5. A blast charging device comprising a tubular holder having an opening at one end, a follower movable longitudinally in the holder, an eye on the holder and follower, and flexible members connected with the eyes.

6. A blast charging device comprising a tubular. holder, a hollow follower movably mounted therein which is provided with a longitudinally extendin discharge mouth, and means for holding t e parts together.

7. A blast charging device comprising a supporting member, a hollow follower for re-' ceiving the exploding charge, and means for guiding the follower on the said member.

8. A blast charging device comprising a tubular supporting member having a longitudinal slot and an opening, a tubular follower having a closed end presented to the opening of the member and a longitudinally extend- ICO - the opening on the holder and attached to ing discharge mouth, means for limiting the i In testimony that We claim the foregoing 1o movement of the follower on the member, a l as our own, We have hereto affixed our sig flexible connection attached to the holder, natures in the presence of two Witnesses.

and a flexible connection extending through 1 WILLIAM GEORGE PEAY t} GEORGE W. HAM.

1e follower, 1n comblnation with a rammer adapted to extend through the opening of the Witnesses.

holder and engage the closed end of the fol- C. V. FITCH,

lower. JAMEs E. lVILsoN. 

